Honolulu Passengers Get a New Ride with HybriDrive®

Oct 13 20142014-10-13T09:38:00+02:00

Honolulu riders are hanging ten and cruising green

The Department of Transportation Services of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii has selected BAE Systems’ HybriDrive Series-E propulsion system to power four New Flyer Xcelsior® 60-foot, low-floor rapid transit buses. The system enables all bus accessories, such as air conditioning, power steering, and more, to run electrically — advancing transit agencies toward all-electric buses by making silent operation of the vehicle possible and challenging fuel alternatives like diesel and compressed natural gas with its clean, efficient functions.

“Honolulu’s new buses will be equipped with Series-E electric drive, which not only reduces noise in and around bus stops, but represents a greater impact on environmental sustainability for the communities in which it operates,” said Steve Trichka, vice president and general manager of HybriDrive Solutions at BAE Systems. “Because of these features, Honolulu riders will enjoy reduced noise at stops, while the Honolulu transit authority can take advantage of electric drive modes to eliminate emissions and reduce engine idling.”

New Flyer of America Inc. will provide the four articulated buses, equipped with BAE Systems’ hybrid propulsion system, to the Department of Transportation Services (DTS) of the City and County of Honolulu. Articulated buses are comprised of a single-deck design with two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint, allowing for higher passenger capacity.

“These series hybrid buses not only provide improved fuel economy and reduced noise and exhaust emissions, but they perform best under low average speed and frequent stop conditions,” said Mike Formby, director of DTS for the City and County of Honolulu. “The series hybrid technology makes these buses best-suited for use in Honolulu’s urban core. It’s a win-win for the transit community and for the clean environment we all treasure in Hawaii.”

In addition to the company’s hybrid solution for articulated buses, or HDS300, BAE Systems also offers the HDS100 European lightweight bus model and the HDS200 for 30- to 40-foot North American bus fleets. Allowing transit authorities the commonality of using HybriDrive propulsion systems across all types of buses in their fleets will reduce inventory and maintenance costs, providing more options for customers.

BAE Systems’ HybriDrive Series propulsion system powers 4,200 buses worldwide today and is the most successful series system in operation. Buses equipped with HybriDrive propulsion systems transport more than 693 million passengers, prevent more than 100,000 tons of CO2 emissions, and save more than nine million gallons of diesel fuel annually. The development and production of these hybrid propulsion systems will be conducted at BAE Systems’ Endicott, New York facility, with the first delivery scheduled for December 2014.